Figure 1. Annual accrual rates from 2005-2009.
| World Journal of Oncology, ISSN 1920-4531 print, 1920-454X online, Open Access |
| Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, World J Oncol and Elmer Press Inc |
| Journal website http://www.wjon.org |
Original Article
Volume 2, Number 5, October 2011, pages 217-224
Poor Accrual in Palliative Research Studies: An Update From the Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program
Figure
Tables
| Before Research Changes | After Research Changes | |
|---|---|---|
| a: Some patients were not seen by research students due to various reasons; b: Some patients may have been referred for >1 reason; SVCO: Superior Vena Cava Obstruction. | ||
| n (Number of patients) | 483 | 4243 |
| Sex | ||
| Male | 254 (52.6%) | 2240 (52.8%) |
| Female | 229 (47.4%) | 2003 (47.2%) |
| Age at initial consultation (years) | ||
| Mean ± standard deviation | 66.8 ± 12.1 | 67.9 ± 12.7 |
| Median (Range) | 68 (23-95) | 69 (21-101) |
| Patient came from | ||
| Home | 369 (76.4%) | 2986 (70.4%) |
| Hospital or hospice | 109 (22.6%) | 1084 (25.5%) |
| Unknown | 5 (1.0%) | 173 (4.1%) |
| Ambulancea | ||
| Yes | 108 (23.4%) | 991 (23.4%) |
| No | 375 (77.6%) | 3173 (74.7%) |
| Unknown | - | 79 (1.9%) |
| Primary cancer site | ||
| Lung | 171 (35.4%) | 1493 (37.3%) |
| Breast | 95 (19.7%) | 894 (22.3%) |
| Prostate | 80 (16.6%) | 701 (17.5%) |
| Gastrointestinal | 50 (10.4%) | 333 (8.3%) |
| Unknown primary | 30 (6.2%) | 265 (6.6%) |
| Renal cell | 23 (4.8%) | 217 (5.4%) |
| Others | 34 (7.0%) | 105 (2.6%) |
| Reason(s) for referralb | ||
| Bone pain | 302 (54.6%) | 2355 (53.5%) |
| Brain metastases | 133 (24.1%) | 980 (22.3%) |
| Mass | 34 (6.2%) | 262 (6.0%) |
| Shortness of breath | 23 (4.2%) | 117 (2.7%) |
| Other Pain | 34 (6.1%) | 55 (1.3%) |
| Assess previous palliative Radiotherapy response | 16 (2.9%) | 133 (3.0%) |
| Other reasons | 36 (6.5%) | 141 (3.2%) |
| Need for more radiation treatment | 27 (4.9%) | 55 (1.3%) |
| Spinal cord compression or cauda equina compression | 19 (3.4%) | 76 (1.7%) |
| Bleeding | 13 (2.4%) | 92 (2.1%) |
| Pathological rracture | 16 (2.9%) | 55 (1.3%) |
| Impending spinal cord compression | 12 (2.2%) | 37 (0.8%) |
| SVCO Symptoms | 2 (0.4%) | 42 (1.0%) |
| Before Research Changes | After Research Changes | |
|---|---|---|
| A: Patients may have more than one reason for non-participation. | ||
| Number of patient encounters in RRRP | 553 | 4243 |
| Number of non-accrued patient encounters in RRRP clinic | 474 (85.7%) | 2202 (51.9%) |
| Reasons for Non-accrualA | ||
| Patient ineligible according to study protocol | 171 (35.6%) | 918 (42.1%) |
| Language barrier | 32 (6.8%) | 307 (14.1%) |
| Physician objection | 14 (3.0%) | 107 (4.9%) |
| Patient mentally incapable of participating due to cognitive deterioration and inability to provide informed consent or complete assessments | 14 (3.0%) | 110 (5.0%) |
| Patient declined participation | 14 (3.0%) | 237 (10.9%) |
| Patient too ill or unwell | 7 (2.0%) | 169 (7.7%) |
| No research assistant available at time of consultation or too busy to recruit patients | 7 (1.5%) | 199 (9.1%) |
| Patient too emotional or anxious about illness or treatment | 5 (1.1%) | 56 (2.6%) |
| Patient drowsy | 1 (0.2%) | 7 (0.3%) |
| Unknown reason (not recorded) | 215 (45.3%) | 72 (3.3%) |